Stolen Boston Terriers Found, Reunited With New Castle Owner

NEW CASTLE (KDKA) — There’s some good news for a dog owner in Lawrence County. Her two missing Boston terrier puppies have been found safe.

Irene Matas, 75, of New Castle, is crediting the media for helping save her two little puppies and bringing them home. It was just minutes after her story aired on KDKA that she started getting tips on where her little guys were.

Matas’s world was turned upside down after her home was invaded earlier this week.

Someone came through an unlocked backdoor in the overnight hours Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. She and her brother were at home sleeping at the time.

The burglar stole Matas’s purse, camera and flat screen TV, which has since been replaced. In addition to those items, two 12-week-old Boston terrier puppies were also stolen, and that’s something she cannot replace.

“They’re my life; they’re my babies; they’re my family,” said Matas. “I know other people have children. I don’t have children; these [puppies] are like my little children to me.”

After Matas offered a $1,500 reward on the news Friday night, the phone started ringing.

“She called me and she talked to me, and she said, ‘I know where your dogs are,’” said Matas.

The woman on the line told Matas that a person in the South Side area of New Castle had tried selling the dogs. New Castle police officers and Matas’s brother headed to where the tipster said they were and that’s where the first puppy, Adam, was found.

“I can’t describe the emotions that I went through when he told me that,” said Matas. “But on the other hand, I’m thinking, ‘Where’s the other one?’”

Adam’s sister, Eve, wasn’t be found until Saturday morning when another tipster helped police lead them to her. Police haven’t made any arrests yet, but Matas says she wants the person responsible punished.

The case is currently under investigation. Meanwhile, Matas says she’s going to keep her doors and windows locked and keep that security system on at all times.